Yeovil Hospital's £5 million day theatre opens
It's hoped the new theatre will free up space in the other main hospital theatres for other major surgeries
Yeovil Hospital has opened a brand new operating theatre today - costing £5 million.
Hospital leaders say it'll be used for a range of day surgery procedures - such as breast surgery, dermatology and plastic surgery.
It means patients will be able to go home on the same day of their operations, with the aim of freeing-up space in other parts of the hospital.
The £5 million has gone towards a purpose-built space with a theatre suite, recovery rooms and waiting areas - as well as dedicated office space and rest areas for staff.
The cash has come from the government’s ‘Targeted Investment Fund’ to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which was announced in September 2021.
Miss Caroline Osborne, a consultant breast surgeon at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Yeovil Hospital, said: “We’re so pleased to open our new day theatre today, which will mean our team of surgeons can perform many more operations at Yeovil Hospital.
“With the day theatre located away from the main hospital building, it will free up space in our main hospital theatres for the more complex procedures, helping us to reduce the waiting times for patients across Somerset who need an operation.
“It will also mean that our surgeons will be able to continue to operate at our very busiest times, which hasn’t always been possible, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an increase in waiting times.
“There has been a real change in the way we perform many operations in Somerset with some specialties able to offer day surgery, where patients can be assessed, treated and go home on the same day as their surgery, rather than staying overnight in hospital. We’ve had great feedback from patients on this approach.”